Give him time! Danilo urges Ibrox fans to be patient with £8m signing Chermiti

DANILO has called for Rangers fans to be patient with Youssef Chermiti as the Portuguese forward’s Ibrox struggles continue.

The 21-year-old cost an initial £8m when he moved from Everton in the summer but has struggled to justify the faith sporting director Kevin Thelwell has put in him.

Chermiti missed another big chance in the home loss to Roma in the Europa League on Thursday to leave his goals tally with his new club standing at one in 12 appearances.

Thelwell, who previously helped take the Portuguese to Merseyside in a £15m deal from Sporting Lisbon, recently defended the signing claiming he was a player with ‘huge potential’.

But those words haven’t cut any ice with disgruntled supporters who have seen little evidence that Chermiti is going to turn his situation around.

In a robust defence of his new team-mate, though, Danilo, himself a £6m buy from Feyenoord, claimed Chermiti would prove his worth in the long run.

‘It's a different thing,’ he said. ‘If you come with some price tag then fans want to see it. Why are you this price tag? 

‘For (each) performance you (must) show why you are a certain amount. But then time will tell. 

‘He's just been playing a few months. So, day by day he's trying to improve. I see some improvements since he arrived. He's just trying to do everything he can.

‘I think things will come naturally as well.’

Asked if he felt Chermiti would prove the many doubters wrong, Danilo replied: ‘I think so. Every player gets the time to improve himself.

‘I'm not the one that will tell him the future, like he's going to be a top scorer. I think he's trying to do as best as he can. Same as me.

‘Every time I try to be on the pitch and try to do everything I can, helping the team and my team-mates.

‘Right now, he's been there and is trying to do his best. I think he's been brilliant somehow - obviously not scoring but trying to press and give everything he's got. ‘The goals are the main thing. If you're a striker, you need to score and perform.

‘That's what the fans want to see.’

Danilo conceded, though, Rangers isn’t a place that’s renowned for fans’ patience.

‘No, 100 per cent,’ said the Brazilian. ‘I've experienced that as well. I've been here three years. It's my third season.

‘The fans want to see the immediate effect as well. It's not been the way the fans were hoping. But it's a process.’

Thursday’s loss left Danny Rohl’s wide without a point at the midway stage of the campaign.

Rangers aren’t yet out, but would need to take a minimum of 10 points from their remaining games with Braga, Ferencvaros, Ludogorets and Porto to stand any chance of qualifying.

Insistent the side wasn’t now prioritising the league, Danilo added: ‘No, definitely not. We're not taking it that way.

‘Obviously it's not been good, no points. Everybody will have an international break and get a good rest afterwards. So then just be ready for everything. It's game by game and then we're trying to do everything possible that we can.’

More immediately Rohl’s side travel to Dundee on Sunday knowing there’s no room for error if they are to retain any hope of yet overtaking leaders Hearts.

‘Rangers is not about giving up on anything,’ said Danilo.

‘We just go in the games and try to do our best. We're going to go there and try to get the three points.

‘I think we just have to step up then try to do things that he (Rohl) demands us to do in every aspect.

‘I think we have to also be clinical inside the box then try to make goals and be solid in the back. The league is a good opportunity for us to just show we are a unit as well.

‘We stick together, it doesn't matter what happens. Sunday is a good opportunity for us to step up and do things better as well.’